Why Some Baltimore Charging Stations Are Padlocked

Some EV drivers have noted that padlocks have appeared on three of the four Level 2 charging stations in the Arena Garage in Baltimore City preventing them from being used. I reached out to the City of Baltimore to ask why.

According to Chance Dunbar, off-street parking manager for the Parking Authority of Baltimore, the three charging stations have been removed from service because of low demand for EV charging in that garage. “We cannot keep these spaces reserved and empty, so until demand increases they will not be utilized for EV vehicles only.”

Frank Lee, an energy analyst in the city’s Department of Public Works said there have apparently been many ICE drivers demanding to use those parking spaces on the 2nd level of the garage. Mr. Lee indicated that there have been no EV drivers that have requested to use the charging stations.

The three charging stations that have been locked are all EVSEs that were installed by Electric Vehicle Institute (EVI) in October, 2015. The City Board of Estimates agreed in May, 2015 to allow Baltimore-based EVI to install and maintain the charging stations at city-owned garages using their own funds.

The only functional charging station in the Arena Garage at the moment is a ChargePoint Level 2 and Level 1 station that existed before the EVI units were installed. A message on the screen indicates it is “off network.” The City says that the ChargePoint stations in their garages are “off-line” but still work. They decided to stop paying the monthly ChargePoint fees.